What is a Little Corella?
Little Corellas (Cacatua sanguinea) are small white parrots, up to around 40 cm in length, with a noticeable blue eye ring and pale pink feathers between the eyes and beak.
Prior to the 1960s, Little Corellas were mainly located in remote areas in the far north of the South Australia, but now they are regular visitors to Adelaide urban and peri-urban areas, and country towns stretching from the Flinders Ranges to the South East of the State. They are ‘urban adaptors’ meaning they have benefitted greatly from the environments we have created with wide open spaces and ready supplies of food and water, and have accordingly changed their behaviours and are likely increasing in numbers. Large noisy flocks usually arrive in urban areas in approximately December and stay until about March. In Autumn, flocks disperse and they return to the rural areas to breed. They pair for life and prefer to return to the same nesting hollow.
Little Corellas feed mainly on grains and grass seeds, but also bulbs and fruits. They rely on water from lakes, troughs, dams, tanks, and creeks which are freely available in our urban and peri-urban environments. They are intelligent birds, and are often observed ‘playing’ such as hanging by one foot, repeatedly sliding down roofs, and have been seen swinging around on rotating windmill blades.
Little Corellas are an unprotected species in South Australia. Although no permit is required to destroy Little Corellas by shooting, a permit is required from the Department for Environment and Water where destruction is planned by any other means.
Where to find further information
For further information on Little Corellas, including issues caused, what can be done, management options and destruction please head over to the Department for Environment and Water website.